Comparison

USMLE Step 1 Mastery vs Valve PPM

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

USMLE Step 1 Mastery

Prepare for the USMLE Step 1 exam with over 1,800 practice questions, including vignette-style and basic science items. Access extensive audio/video content, mnemonics, definitions, and drug flashcards. Track your performance with in-depth statistics to ensure you achieve your desired results.

Highlights
  • 1,800+ practice questions
  • Vignette-style questions
  • Basic science questions
  • Audio/video content
  • Mnemonics and definitions
  • Drug flashcards
  • Performance statistics
Features
Read full description

Got questions? USMLE Step 1 Mastery offers over 1,800 items. Use this best-selling study solution while on breaks at the hospital or between classes. Pass USMLE Step 1 guaranteed, or your money back! Subscribe today and get access to: • 750+ vignette-style practice questions with explanations • 28+ hours of audio/video content, including heart/lung sounds and high-yield lectures. • 1,100+ basic science questions with explanations • 250+ mnemonics • 500+ definitions • 60+ generic drug flashcards • In-depth statistics regarding performance Let USMLE Step 1 Mastery help you achieve the results you have been working towards! Get access to all questions when you subscribe. This app offers two auto-renewing subscription options to help you pass your exam. • 1 Month: one auto-renewing payment of $14.99 • 12 Months: one auto-renewing payment of $59.99 -Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase -Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period -Your account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal -Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase -Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable These prices are for United States customers. Pricing in other countries may vary and actual charges may be converted to your local currency depending on the country of residence. Our Customer Success Team is available from 9am to 5pm, Monday - Friday (except on major holidays). Call us at 319-246-5271 and email us at support@hltcorp.com with any questions. Privacy Policy - http://builtbyhlt.com/privacy Terms of Conditions - http://builtbyhlt.com/EULA

About

Valve PPM

This tool assists medical professionals in assessing implanted prosthetic cardiac valves. It offers guidance for checking existing valve function and selecting the optimal valve before implantation based on patient and prosthesis parameters.

Highlights
  • Assess implanted valve function
  • Select optimal valve before implantation
  • Analyze patient and prosthesis parameters
  • Identify potential patient-prosthesis mismatch
  • Determine intrinsic prosthesis dysfunction
Features
Read full description

Valve PPM is an innovative mobile tool developed to support echocardiography professionals in their effort of assessing the functionality of implanted prosthetic cardiac valves. The application provides guidelines for assessing an already implanted valve (Check Valve Function) and for choosing a valve before implantation (Optimal Valve Selector). The algorithms behind the App have been derived after an extensive research of the published materials on the aortic and mitral prosthetic valve assessment. - Check Valve Function After selecting a particular valve type, the patient characteristics (weight/height) and the prosthesis actual parameters (peak velocity, mean gradient, VTI prosthesis, VTI LVOT and LVOTd), Valve PPM will provide the user with an answer regarding the normal function of the valve, the potential patient prosthesis mismatch or the intrinsic prosthesis dysfunction. - Optimal Valve Selector The user will be required to select a valve position (aortic/mitral) and the patient characteristics (weight/height) and Valve PPM will instantly indicate the minimum Effective Orifice Area (EOA) in order to avoid Patient Prosthesis Mismatch (PPM).

Screenshots

USMLE Step 1 Mastery4 screens
Valve PPM4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Valve PPM at none against USMLE Step 1 Mastery's 3. Valve PPM also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and review sentiment (100% vs 80%). USMLE Step 1 Mastery's advantage is ratings volume (216 vs 3) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. USMLE Step 1 Mastery sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month. Valve PPM asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Valve PPM holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: USMLE Step 1 Mastery has 216 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of USMLE Step 1 Mastery's written reviews are positive against 100% of Valve PPM's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

USMLE Step 1 Mastery ships an update every 2 weeks, Valve PPM every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
USMLE Step 1 Mastery versus Valve PPM: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUSMLE Step 1 MasteryValve PPM
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (216 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews80.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings216 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationSubscriptionFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size166 MB37 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperHigher Learning TechnologiesKRUTSCH

Customer experience

USMLE Step 1 Mastery

All ratings216 ratings
Positive90.3%
Neutral5.6%
Negative4.2%
Written reviews60 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral6.7%
Negative13.3%

Valve PPM

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

USMLE Step 1 Mastery

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • App freezes and crashes during account creation
  • App crashes while trying to create an account

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add more Q-bank questions
  • Include a way to make notes
  • Corrections on writing and punctuation
  • Updates available?

Valve PPM

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

USMLE Step 1 Mastery

Subscriptions3
  • USMLE Step 1 - 1 Month3 Days trial$11.991 Month
  • USMLE Step 1 - 3 Months3 Days trial$24.993 Months
  • USMLE Step 1 - 12 Months3 Days trial$35.991 Year
None

Valve PPM

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is USMLE Step 1 Mastery free?
USMLE Step 1 Mastery is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Valve PPM free?
Valve PPM is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, USMLE Step 1 Mastery or Valve PPM?
Valve PPM is rated higher. USMLE Step 1 Mastery averages 4.6 out of 5 from 216 ratings, while Valve PPM averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do USMLE Step 1 Mastery or Valve PPM have ads?
Neither USMLE Step 1 Mastery nor Valve PPM shows ads.
Which is updated more often, USMLE Step 1 Mastery or Valve PPM?
USMLE Step 1 Mastery ships an update every 2 weeks, and Valve PPM every 2 months. Most recently, USMLE Step 1 Mastery was updated on November 1, 2026 and Valve PPM on October 30, 2026.

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